Zimbabwe have safely seen through the first hour of the day without losing a wicket. There are playing out New Zealand bowlers rather easily on a wicket that isn't assisting the bowlers much. Nonetheless, The visitors are not giving anything less than 100 percent.
Donald Tiripano's long resistance has finally come to an end. The nightwatchman managed to keep the New Zealand bowlers at bay for over an hour and half, leving the balls outside off with conviction and fending off bouncers and yorkers brilliantly. Eventually, Mitchell Santner had him trapped leg befofre wicket. But as replays would show, he was unlucky to be given out.
Just when it seemed like a good session for Zimbabwe was coming to an end, Craig Ervine, the centurion from the first innings, has been given out caught behind. Yet again, there is poor umpiring involved in the decision of a batsman going back to the pavilion. Zimbabwe played superbly in the first session to keep the hosts at bay. However, two bad decisions resulted in Tiripano and Ervine getting out. Let's see if Zimbabwe can keep the charge going in the next two sessions.
Zimbabwe's chase has gone completely off track. Not that they were ever in contention of overhauling the target set by New Zealand. But with Sean Williams and Peter Moor departing quick succession, even the chances of saving the match looks extremely bleak at the moment.
35 minutes is all it took into the second session of the final day for the hosts to fold up. After showing resolute defense in the first hour of the day, two poor umpiring decision led to Craig Ervine and Donald Tiripano heading back to the pavilion in the first session. Sean Williams and Prince Masvure looked good to continue their work, before everything fell apart. In the end, the lower order couldn't offer the kind of resistance that was required and they folded up for 132 to hand New Zealand a 254-run win and a 2-0 series wrap.
Apart from a good match with the bat, it has also been good start for Kane Williamson as a captain.
For Zimbabwe, it was a far better fight than they had put up in the first match, but there is still a long way to go for them to compete with most Test teams in the world.
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